


Defense Against My Father's Arts

by SkyWriter121



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Apollo is a jerk, Bisexual Will Solace, Canon Gay Character, F/M, Hecate is actually not a jerk, How Do I Tag, Illnesses, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Percy is a Dork, Post-The Heroes of Olympus, Sort Of, Trials of Apollo who?, plenty of angst, solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21611878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyWriter121/pseuds/SkyWriter121
Summary: Nico has been happy living with his husband, Will, for five years. The son of Apollo was studying to become a doctor, they had a nice apartment, everything was great.But then Chiron called.Hecate needs a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Nico is the perfect candidate.Post Deathly Hallows, but before any of Harry's kids come to Hogwarts, so don't expect them to show up.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 108





	1. The Assignment

“Nico.”

I groaned and swatted the hand off my shoulder.

“Nico.”

I pulled the pillow over my head.

“Nico!” The blankets were yanked off of me and I fell to the floor with a yelp. A beautiful blonde with tan skin smirked down at me. “Time to get up, Death Breath.”

I frowned at my husband and sat up.

“I’m not a morning person. You know this.”

“Yep!” He pulled me to my feet. “Come on; I made breakfast.”

That woke me up a bit.

“Alright. Just let me change first.” I pushed him onto the bed before opening my dresser. Will huffed.

“Is that any way to treat the love of your life?” He pouted. I turned to him.

“You’re right.” I leaned down, clasping the back of his neck, and kissed him. I deliberately made it slow and lazy. When we broke apart, he was grinning. “Is that better, Sunshine?”

“Much. But you still have Death Breath,” he laughed.

I scoffed and turned back to pulling on my clothes. Feeling nostalgic, I tugged a black Camp Half-Blood shirt over my head. Pulling on a pair of jeans, I turned to let my husband get a look. He smiled.

“Good choice. Now come eat.” Will took my hand and pulled me out of the bedroom. We’d been married for five years now, and every day just kept getting better. Even after I’d told him that he didn’t have to cook breakfast every morning, he still did. I loved it, but I would never tell anyone else that.

“So, Will, any plans for today?” I asked as I took a bite of my scrambled eggs.

He shrugged. “I have to work at the hospital today, but other than that, there’s nothing. What about you?” He smiled. I frowned.

“Chiron called me yesterday. He said Hecate personally came to Camp, asking for me. I told him I’d head over today to see what was going on. Hopefully it isn’t another quest.”

“Hopefully.” Will nodded. “How are you going to get there without the car?”

I smirked. “Shadow-travel, of course. How else would I get there?”

“A train. You know, like a normal person. Shadow-traveling is dangerous.”

“So is a train. I’m just choosing the one that’s less likely to kill multiple people instead of just the one,” I explained. He frowned but didn’t argue. We quickly finished our meals and cleaned up our mess. We kissed before he headed out the front door.

“I’ll see you tonight!” he called as the door shut. I sighed.

“I really hope it’s not a new quest.” I packed a small bag of ambrosia and a vial of nectar. You never knew when it came to Camp Half-Blood. Taking one last look around, I stepped back and let the shadows envelope me.

* * *

“Percy Jackson.” I smirked the moment I stepped out of the shadows. The Son of Poseidon jumped and slashed Riptide toward me. I blocked with my own sword.

“Don’t do that, Nico!” he shouted. Then his eyes widened. “Nico!”

I couldn’t run from the noogie that followed.

“Hey! Let go of me.”

“It’s been forever, cuz! How’ve you been?” He let go of me and looked me up and down. “You got older.”

“I’m only 26. If anything,  _ you _ got older.” I rolled my eyes. In the six months since I’ve seen him, he certainly hasn’t gotten any more childish. His black hair was just as long as the last time I saw him, if not a little disheveled. I smoothed down my own hair. “How’s Annabeth?”

“She doing fine. With a baby on the way, she’s been reading up on parenting nonstop and telling me to do the same.”

“Pregnant? How far along?”

“Three months. How’s Will?”

I smiled at the thought of my husband. “He still makes breakfast every morning and he’s finally been promoted to a doctor now.”

“Seriously? Well, congratulations, Neeks.” He grinned. “So, your hair is still a mullet.”

I rolled my eyes. I found myself doing that a lot around him.

“Will likes it.” I crossed my arms defensively. “He says it’s good for my look as this one cartoon character. He’s getting me some fingerless gloves and a red jacket to complete the look.” Percy had the nerve to roll his eyes. He laughed, and I couldn’t help but laugh along. A lot has changed over the years, but I’m okay with it. Percy calmed down long after I did.

“So, Neeks, what brings you to Camp?”

“Chiron called me. Apparently Hecate needs me for something.”

His smile dropped.

“Another quest?”

“I don’t know. Will and I hope not.” I couldn’t help but agree with his concern. A goddess personally came down from Olympus to see me. Something big was either happening or going to happen. We were scared, to be perfectly honest.

“I shouldn’t be delaying you, then.” Percy smiled. He wrapped his arms around me, and I reluctantly hugged him back. I still didn’t much like physical contact from anyone other than Will. He slipped away after a short while.

“See you later, Percy.”

“We should really come up with a time to properly catch up,” Percy called out as he disappeared toward the training grounds. I shadow-traveled to the Big House, startling Chiron. He very nearly kicked me in the head.

“Nico!” The centaur clutched at the area above his heart. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“Funny, Percy said the same thing.” I glanced around him and saw a woman with pale-ish skin, long black hair, and a dress made of flowers. I assumed this was Hecate. She smiled at me.

“Hello, Mr. Solangelo.”

“Lady Hecate.” I bowed respectfully. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, I did. Do you know of a certain school in England for my followers?” She started walking, and I followed beside her.

“I know of your American school, Ivermory. A lot of your children from here go there.”

“Yes. Well, in England, Hogwarts functions basically the same as Ivermory. Students are placed in houses based on the traits they most believe in and strive for. Once placed, the students go to classes to learn about the different kinds of magic they can cast.”

“Not to be rude, but what does that have to do with me?”

“There are many threats against those students despite all attempts to protect them from magical dangers. I had hoped that a demigod, preferably one as powerful as you, could sustain their Defense Against the Dark Arts class and protect the students for at least a year.”

“Is that all this is? Why couldn’t you ask one of your kids?”

“You have the power best suited to protect these kids from whatever could happen. Will you accept?”

I stared at my feet as I thought. There were so many things that could go wrong. I could be killed.

But what else is new?

“What happens if I don’t?”

“I’ll ask Percy Jackson. I would like to avoid bringing him into this for his, his wife’s, and their child’s sakes.”

I tensed and didn’t even hesitate to answer.

“I won’t be the reason Annabeth becomes a widow. I’ll do it.”

She smiled even as my stomach twisted in my gut. How was Will going to react?

“Thank you.” She reached into her dress and pulled out a letter. “This will explain everything. If you have any questions, write them on the back. You’ll get your answer.”

I took it from her hand. There was nothing on the front, and the wax sealing it had a shield on it. At least, I think it was a shield. She started to glow, and I turned away. Once she was gone, the letter in my hand felt heavier. Gods, what was I going to tell the others? What was I going to tell Will?

I felt a rage I hadn’t felt in years. Will had only just gotten his degree, had a great job, and now I would have to either move him across the sea, or leave him behind. Why the Hades did I always have to be dragged into these situations?

I tucked the letter into my pocket and left to find Percy.

I could really use a sparring partner right now.

* * *

“Hey, Neeks!” Percy greeted as he sliced a dummy in half. “You got done quick. Was it another quest?”

I didn’t answer him. I drew my sword and took my stance. His smile fell.

“Oh.”

“Don’t.”

He nodded in understanding and took his own stance. I didn’t even wait to attack.

After a few hours of fighting, we agreed to a truce. I was getting tired and my rage had left. Percy flopped on the grass.

“Okay,” he panted. “You ready to talk now?”

I nodded and sat down next to him.

“Hecate needs a teacher for her wizarding school in England. I’m one of the strongest demigods that can protect the students from potential dangers.”

“Did you accept?” Percy sat up, deathly serious.

“It was either me or you, and I couldn’t do that to Annabeth. With you two about to have a baby, it wouldn’t be safe for her to travel overseas to a gloomy place like England. Besides, no teacher has ever held that position for more than a year.”

He blinked and stared for a second.

“You...you did that for me?”

“You’re like my brother, Percy. Why wouldn’t I?”

He smiled and lightly punched my arm.

“I consider you a brother, too.” He lay back down, and I followed suit. The weather was fair here--as it always was--but this time I just couldn’t enjoy it. The letter felt like a rock in my pocket, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I pulled it out and ripped open the seal. Percy sat up again.

“What’s that?”

“It’s from Hecate,” I answered without looking at him. “She said this would explain everything better since she’s always busy.” I tuned the rest of the world out as I read.

_ Dear Mr. Solangelo, _

_ Due to the seriousness of our situation, the Headmaster of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Minerva Mcgonagall, formally invites you to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and to help with the protection of the students therein. There will be a transport ready to pick you up from Camp Half-Blood at 7 am in front of the Big House and take you to “The Leaky Cauldron” in  _ 4 days _. Your room will already be taken care of, and a guide will help you get settled. _

_ Your guide will also take you to get your robes, wand, money, and animal companion. You may choose any companion that is no bigger than a cat. A classroom will be ready for you along with any materials you might need to teach your curriculum. Any additional items you need will be provided before the school year starts on September 1st. Your fellow teachers and staff will help you with any questions you might have. _

_ Appreciating all your help, _

_ Minerva Mcgonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

_ Hecate, Goddess of Magic _

I huffed and tucked the letter back into my pocket. Percy tilted his head at me.

“You alright?”

“No, not really. I have to go.” I stood and helped Percy to his feet. “I’ll be back in a few days to say goodbye.”

“Alright. I’ll see you then. Tell Will I said ‘hi’ for me, okay?”

“Sure, Perce. I’ll see you soon.”

I closed my eyes and let the shadows take me back to my home.


	2. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico goes home and tells Will what's going to happen.  
> Will doesn't take it well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo sorry I took forever to post! I've had this chapter finished since I posted this story.  
> More explanations at the end. Enjoy chapter 2!

The front door clicked shut and keys clanged together as they were hung on the wall. A heavy bag hit the floor.

“I’m home!” Will called out.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My chest felt tight and it was suffocating me.

“Nico?”

The letter--that cursed piece of parchment--was clutched in my hand.

“Neeks, I’ve got something for you.”

The bedroom door opened, but I didn’t look up. I didn’t need to.

“What’s going on?” His voice went soft and he placed his hand on my shoulder. I showed him the letter and didn’t say anything.

“ _Dear Mr. Solangelo_ …” He read it quietly to himself. Tears burned in my eyes as I waited for him to finish. Once he did, he knelt down in front of me.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’ll do this together.”

I shook my head.

“No.” I looked up at last. “No, you’re staying here.” Will was about to interrupt, but I kept going. “You’ve worked too hard for your career just to move to the other side of the world and start over. I’m going alone.” I wiped my eyes and stood. Will frowned as I tried to walk past him.

“Like hell you are.” He blocked my path. “‘Protection of the students’? I’m not stupid; you might not come back from this. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I let you go alone and you never came back.”

“That’s exactly why you won’t be going. If you were to get caught in the crossfire…” Gods, just the thought of it was unbearable.

“Nico, being a son of Hades puts you in more danger than any other demigod save Percy. You going off on your own just makes it more likely you’ll get killed.”

I bristled, and the words came pouring out before I could stop them. “Being married to a son of Hades makes _you_ an even bigger target to get to me. I can handle myself without having to worry about the one demigod who can’t fight.”

I regretted the words the moment I said them. Will narrowed his eyes.

“I see. If that’s how you want to be, fine. Go to England by yourself.” He started to leave.

I reached out for him in desperation.

“Wait, Will--”

He raised his hand, effectively shutting me up.

“Save it. I wouldn’t want to drag _Your Majesty_ down with my incompetence anyway.” He stormed out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

I took an involuntary step back, tumbling onto the bed.

Gods, what had I done?

I put my head in my hands as I heard the front door shut. Will was gone, and who knew when he would come back.

 _If_ he came back.

My emotions threatened to explode within me, so I shadow-traveled to the one place I could release my powers and not be judged for it:

Camp Half-Blood.

I only barely made it out of the shadows before I lost control.

Shadows sharpened and lashed out at the surrounding forest. Branches were torn from their trunks, and entire trees were uprooted. Grass turned black. Leaves withered to dust. Dryads fled from the destruction I was wreaking.

And through it all, I was screaming.

Nothing had hurt this much since I lost Bianca.

Not since Tartarus.

My strength ran out before my tears did and I collapsed onto my knees. The shadows returned to their proper places.

Someone was coming toward me through the foliage, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Everything still hurt.

“Nico!” A familiar black-haired demigod knelt down in front of me.

“I-I pushed him away,” I whimpered. “Oh Gods, it hurts so much.”

Percy understood, and the response was immediate. He pulled me to his chest, cradling my head against his shoulder. His fingers carded through my hair. The gentle reassurance broke down what was left of my emotional barriers and I sobbed.

Gods, why did it hurt so much? I just wanted to protect him. I wanted to keep my will to live. Didn’t he see that?

Why in Hades would the gods do this? We were happy as we were.

Why _why_ **why!?**

I don’t know how long it took, but it was a while before I calmed down. My limbs were weak, and I couldn’t move. I’d used too much power.

“Hey--” Percy pulled away, “--you good to get back to Camp?”

I shook my head--an exhausting task.

“I can barely move,” I muttered. He draped my arm across his shoulders and stood, pulling me up with him. I winced at the pull of my sore muscles.

“Try to move your feet, okay? Come on.”

I dragged my foot forward, but it seemed to satisfy him.

“There you go. I’ll take you to the infirmary. Or do you want to go to your cabin?”

A single ray of sunlight pierced through the tree cover, settling on our path. The moment we walked through, my stomach tried to force itself up my throat. I gasped and sent us both tumbling down.

“Woah, Nico. What’s going on?”

“Apollo. That son of a--” My stomach lurched, making me gag. Percy dragged me into the shadows. My organs stopped being mutinous, but I still felt like Minotaur dung.

“We need to get you to the infirmary.”

“No.” I used Percy as a crutch to get to my feet. “No, I need my cabin. Just hold on.”

Digging up my last reserves of strength, I pulled us through the shadows to the inside of my cabin.

I only realized how bad of a mistake that was when my body went limp. Percy tried to say something, but it was like listening from another room; I knew he was speaking, but I couldn’t make out any words.

I slipped into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, since my motivation comes and goes very often, I try to have at least three chapters finished ahead before I start posting.  
> I can't post chapter 3 until I finish chapter 5, so if any of you could please shoot me some wand descriptions for Nico, I would greatly appreciate it.  
> Thank you so much!


	3. The Departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that in this AU (sort of AU?), the height difference between Sea Salt and Death Breath is the same as Shiro and Keith from Voltron: Legendary Defender (after the Quantum Abyss episode).

I spent my last three days on this side of the Atlantic shadow-traveling from one building to the next, avoiding as much contact with the sun as I could. Either Will told him, or he actually played favorites, but Apollo decided I needed to be punished for trying to keep my husband safe.

I raised a skeleton--no surprise there--and wrapped the shadows around it, creating the illusion of a cat. It was literally just bones, but it felt like a real cat. Percy mentioned that it was creepy carrying a skeleton on my shoulder before I even told him what it was. I asked Hades about it and he said that I had unintentionally cast an  _ Invisilence  _ (in-viz-a-lens) spell. A few Thestrals at Hogwarts are also under this spell to hide their terrifying appearance from the students.

The cat hardly ever left my shoulder. I did try to feed her once, but after most of it ended up on the floor, we--meaning Percy, Chiron, and I--agreed maybe she should fend for herself, if she even eats at all. She still felt like a normal cat; the shadows felt like fur when I pet it. I’m the only camper that she’ll let touch her, though, so I have no idea. Hades also sent up a dark blue collar with her name on a tag. Now I introduce her as Sin.

Percy knocked on my cabin door and I stood, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I didn’t bother with the door, instead shadow-traveling to the Big House. It was one of the few days in Camp that the sky was overcast, and the lack of direct sunlight helped keep my nausea at bay. I love Will, but his dad could go suck a sea urchin.

“You ready to go, Neeks?” Percy placed his hand on my shoulder as I scanned the clearing. Not seeing my husband, I sighed.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Hey--” He turned me so I was looking right at him, “--you know he loves you, and he knows you love him. You just had a little bump in your relationship. Everyone has those.”

“Even you and Annabeth?” I asked, skeptical.

“Especially me and Annabeth, but we’ve always made up in the end. I’m sure you will, too.”

“Does Athena ever attack you for trying to protect her? For making a mistake?”

“No,” he admitted. “But she threatens to.” He grinned. I had to smile at that, even if I felt terrible.

“So what do you think I should do?”

“Tell Will what Apollo’s been doing. If anyone can convince him to leave you alone, it’s your husband.”

“If he doesn’t already know,” I muttered. I love Will, but I couldn’t ignore the possibility that he asked for this. The thought of it hurt, even if I didn’t blame him. What I said was uncalled for, and he didn’t deserve that.

When the conch shell for breakfast blew at exactly 7:00, I readied my hand at my sword. I blinked, and someone was standing right in front of me. My sword was halfway out of its sheath before Percy stopped me.

“Easy, Nico. She’s not attacking.”

The woman had her arms up in a peaceful gesture, showing off her small collection of bracelets. She had pale skin similar to mine, and we were the same height. She looked harmless, but she had somehow gotten into Camp without so much as a warning. It took Percy doing it for me to get my sword back into its sheath. She let out a breath.

“Sorry about that. I’m Clara Bowden.” She held out one hand. I had no intention of shaking it, but after Percy elbowed me-- _ hard _ \--I changed my mind.

“Nico Solangelo. I assume you’re my guide?”

“Yes. I’ll be showing you around the Wizarding World.” She casually brushed a lock of her long brown hair behind her ear. I tightened my grip on my sword as a thought came to me. The Hecate kids loved to mess around with Polyjuice Potions.

“Remind me who sent you.”

“Professor Mcgonagall, the Headmistress of Hogwarts; or if you want to be more technical, Hecate. Did you forget?”

I relaxed and released my sword.

“Of course not.”

She tilted her head in confusion, but didn’t ask. She pulled out what could only be a wand and smiled.

“You ready to go?”

I looked through the clearing one more time, but I still couldn’t see Will. “Sure.” I felt bad leaving without saying goodbye to him. Maybe I could’ve--

“Wait!”

Speak of the devil, and he shall come in his beautiful blonde glory. Will bolted across the clearing.

“You didn’t really think you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?” He grinned. I lunged at him, crushing the life out of his chest. He kissed the top of my head. Gods, it felt amazing to hold him again.

“I love you so much, Will,” I muttered. He tightened his hold.

“Don’t die, okay?” he mumbled. I nodded and pulled away.

“If it ever gets to that--” I tapped my sword, “--you’ll be the first to know.” It was his turn to nod. A few years ago, after an empousia incident, Hades helped to enchant my sword. If I were to draw it, and feel like my life were in danger--more than it already is--it would send a distress signal to past wielders. I let Will and Percy use it on separate occasions just for this reason. I had already had to use the signal before, and Will physically couldn’t sleep until he knew I was okay. It was odd, but at least they knew when something was wrong, and they could use the Hecate kids’ powers to get them overseas.

“Hey!” Percy held his arms outstretched in mock offense. “Will gets a hug goodbye and I don’t? C’mere, Neeks.” He crushed me against him. I rolled my eyes, but returned the embrace.

“I’ll miss you too, you big baby,” I grunted. He pulled back and smiled.

“You be careful, alright? Try not to freak everyone out with your death stuff,” he laughed as he ruffled my hair. I laughed despite myself.

“No promises, Squid Brain.”

_ He _ rolled his eyes this time. I shook my head and turned to Clara, who was watching our exchange with amusement.

“You’re all really close, huh?”

“We’ve all been through hell.” Will took my hand in his as Percy nodded.

“In one way or another,” I added, thinking about Tartarus. She nodded.

“Are you ready?”

I gave Will’s hand one last squeeze before letting him go and nodded.

She wrapped her arm around mine and held tight. “If you feel queasy, don’t worry; it’s a natural response. You’ll get used to it.

She waved her wand and we Apparated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know: it's short. The next chapter will be kind of long for you.  
> Thanks for sticking with me through my (lack of) update schedule! Happy Holidays!!!!


	4. Extra One-Shot: Literally Can't English

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I have this headcanon that Nico completely melts whenever Will kisses his neck and slips into his native language because he can't even remember how to English."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not part of the original story line, I know. I'm hitting a bit of a block right now, but I'm trying to give you guys some more content from this (sort of) AU. Hope you like this!

“I don’t know about this, Will.”

“Nico, you know I love you, but you need to get out more. Or at least meet my co-workers tonight.” Will pulled into the apartment complex’s parking lot. “Just stay for an hour, then we can go home. Okay?”

Nico clenched his hand at his side, itching for the familiar weight of his sword. “I stay by your side the whole time,” he demanded, or tried to. His voice shook with nerves.

“Of course, Neeks.”

They parked in one of the visitor spaces and climbed out of the car.

“Run me through their names again?”

Will grinned at the effort his husband was making. “Well, there’s Reece. He’s the one that saved the chihuahua. April is the novelist-in-the-making. June thinks I’ve been making you up to avoid dating her.”

Nico narrowed his eyes.

“Trinity is our favorite EMT, but she doesn’t really like to look on the bright side outside of work. I thought you two might be able to get along best, since everyone else might be a bit too peppy for you. And finally there’s Chris. I think he might’ve been hitting on me that one time, but we’re cool.”

“If you say so.”

They climbed the stairs, Nico falling behind to let Will lead. When they got to the right apartment, Will knocked on the door.

A woman with dark skin, bleach blonde hair, and glasses opened the door.

“Will! You came! Reece,” she yelled into the room, “I told you he’d come five minutes late.”

“It’s ten to eight!” Will protested as he entered.

“With June, the party starts fifteen minutes early. Who’s this handsome devil?”

Nico crossed his arms over his chest to keep his hands from clenching.

“April, this is my husband, Nico. Nico, this is April.”

She held out her hand, and the Ghost King warily shook it.

“Not very talkative, are you?” She smiled.

Nico shrugged. “Sometimes, words hide what needs to be said.”

She gasped. “That’s a great line! I need to write that down. Food’s on the table and drinks are in the fridge,” she called over her shoulder as she ducked into a bedroom. Will chuckled at her antics and pulled his husband deeper into the apartment.

Another woman, this one with tan skin and red hair, walked up to greet them. “Hey, Will. Glad you finally showed up. Now we’re just waiting on Chris. Who’s this?”

“June, this is my husband I was telling you about. Nico, this is June.”

They shook hands, and June smirked. “Sure. Husband.”

Before he could level her with one of his incredibly effective death glares, Nico was pulled away.

“Reece! Come meet my amazing husband!”

A man with pale skin and ice-blue hair poked his head out of the kitchen. “Leather and Chains? How’d you two meet?”

“Summer camp.” The two socialists bumped elbows. “We were kids, but I was patching him up even then.”

“You were patching everyone up, Will. Not just me,” Nico corrected.

Reece shrugged. “Well, I’m Reece. The girl with purple hair sitting next to Trinity--” he nodded toward the couch, “--is my fiance, Samantha.”

“She said yes? Reece, that’s amazing!” Will clapped his hand on the other man’s shoulder.

“Congratulations.” Nico tried to smile, but it looked as forced as it felt.

“So, this is my husband, Nico.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Willy,” the blonde sitting with Samantha called. “Come over here.”

“Hey, Trinity. How’s it going?”

She shrugged. “Been better. This the dark handsome husband you keep talking about?”

“Yep. Nico, this is Trinity. I think you two will get along great!” Will sat his husband down on a nearby armchair. “I need to go talk with Reece for a bit. Want something from the kitchen while I’m there?”

“I could use a drink or two.” Samantha stood up. “I’ll bring you guys some since Will’s going to get distracted anyway.”

Nico actually smiled at that. She wasn’t wrong.

“Ha ha.” The son of Apollo rolled his eyes. “You gonna be okay without me for a bit, Neeks?”

He nodded, hiding his clenched fists in his leather jacket. “Go ahead.”

With a blinding smile, Will was gone.

“Do you prefer Neeks or Nico?” Trinity asked, slouching against her armrest.

“With anyone other than Will, Nico. You?”

“Call me Trin.” She smiled. “So, what was the deal to get you to come?”

Nico sighed. “It’s that obvious?”

She snorted.

“I only have to stay for the first hour. For the next week, he can’t use the excuse ‘Doctor’s Orders’ to get me to do something.”

“Not one for socializing, huh?”

It was Nico’s turn to laugh. “I’ve been told I give off a murderous vibe.”

She shrugged. “Kind of.”

Samantha returned with three glasses balanced in her grip. “There’s only champagne, but I think it’s the good stuff.”

He took a sip before shaking his head and setting his glass down. “Nope. Definitely too flat. Someone either left this out for a few days, or it’s just improperly made.”

“You know your liquor?” Samantha tilted her head.

“Born in Italy. I’m supposed to.” He smirked.

Trin shrugged and took a large gulp. “Alcohol is alcohol. Even if it does taste like shit.”

Sam giggled before turning back to the son of Hades. “Born in Italy, huh? You speak Italian?”

“Yep. But unless Will does something stupid tonight, you won’t hear any from me.”

“Why not?”

“I slip into it when I’m ranting or whenever Will--” he cut himself off with a small blush. “I think it’s rude to speak a language not everyone in the room understands, is all.”

“Looks like a badass, actually a gentleman. Is that how you got a catch like Will?” Samantha spoke around her glass.

Nico smiled at the memory. “He came to me, actually. I never would’ve had the courage to ask him out if he hadn’t done so first.”

“So you were a closet gay.”

Before he could express his confusion, the apartment door burst open.

“I brought booze~!” A brown-haired man raised a bottle as he entered.

“Bring it here, Chris!” June called from the kitchen.

Samantha stood and held Nico’s shoulder. “You okay?”

He took a shaky breath and sat back down, hand releasing the dagger back into the shadows of his jacket. With his now empty hand massaging the bridge of his nose, he sighed. “Gods,” he muttered.

When Trin pushed his glass into his hand, he tossed it back and drained it.

“Forgive him. Chris wouldn’t know the word ‘subtle’ if it snuck up behind him.”

He let out a light chuckle. “That’s a good one.”

“You sure you’re okay? That wasn’t a normal reaction.”

“I’m fine. He just startled me.”

Sam didn’t seem convinced, but she backed off anyway. “I’m going to go get some of that booze. Want some?”

He shook his head as Trin said, “no thanks”.

Once she had left, Trinity scoffed. “‘Normal’. Completely overrated.”

“Yeah.”

She took another swig of her champagne. “How long did you serve?”

Nico made eye-contact with her. “I’m still fighting. Will be until me or my  _ tesoro _ drops dead.”

“So when Will dies, you’ll stop? You’ll think fighting isn’t worth it?” She frowned, her voice rising.

“If he dies, I’m following right behind him,” he corrected. “Mortality isn’t worth it without him. Nothing is.”

She blinked.

“Nico!” Will bumped into June as he walked out of the kitchen.

“You really love him,” Trinity whispered.

“ _ Più di quanto ne sai _ .”

The son of Apollo pulled Nico to his feet. “Neeks, Chris is saying I’m lying when I say you can speak Italian. We need to prove him wrong.”

The Ghost King glared, but his blush made him look like a disgruntled teenager. “Will, no. I’m in the middle of a conver--”

“Come on!”

Nico let himself be dragged into the kitchen. “How much have you had to drink?”

“I’m not drunk. Just a little tipsy.”

The other guests were already waiting for them.

“Before I prove you all wrong, I’m going to give you a little lesson on Nico,” Will started. “In public places, there are only two ways to get him to slip into his first language. Number one, I do something stupid, and he goes on a rant.”

He pulled his husband in front of him and held the back of his neck.

“And number two…”

“Will, I’m warning you. I’ll--”

Nico shut up as lips closed against his own. He wanted to pull away, but damn Will was just  _ intoxicating _ .

His fingers tangled in the blonde’s hair. Externally, the son of Hades was somewhat uncomfortable with the outside attention.

Internally, he didn’t care.

When Will pulled back to kiss his neck, Nico gave him what he wanted.

“ _ Sarai morto quando torniamo a casa, _ Solace,” he growled.

The son of Apollo straightened with a smirk. “Can’t wait.”

“What’d he say?” April asked.

Nico playfully shoved Will away. “ _ Non vorrai _ \--” he cleared his throat, “--wouldn’t you like to know.”

“I know what he said.” June smirked. “You make that threat often?”

“Oh yeah,” Will cut in. “He says that a lot, but I’m still here.”

“By necessity.”

“Death Boy! I’m hurt.”

“Get over it.”

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Più di quanto ne sai. -More than you know.  
> Sarai morto quando torniamo a casa, Solace. -You're dead when we get home, Solace.  
> If you have any prompts for me, I'd love to see them!

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't just read and run! Comment what you liked or some constructive criticism. I'd love to hear from you!


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